Aboriginal enterprise: implications for government and industry Louise Moylan PhD student University of Adelaide Roseworthy Campus

Aboriginal enterprise: implications for government and industry Supervisors: Prof Tricia Vilkinas, University of SA, Dr Ian Nuberg, University of Adelaide, and Dr Jocelyn Davies, CSIRO Alice Springs Research sponsors: University of Adelaide, Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre Alice Springs (DKCRC), Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (PIRSA), South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy (SACOME) and member companies, and the South Australian Attorney General’s Department (SAAGD)

How do we see Aboriginal enterprise? Different to other small businesses Culture and family all mixed up Complex Confusing Disorganised Unsuccessful Need large business management training Government and industry often see Aboriginal enterprise as:

How do we see Aboriginal enterprise? Self-sufficiency and independence from government Pride Strong culture Future for children and grandchildren Strengthen family and community Social connections Success Aboriginal enterprise owners and/or managers say that small business is about:

The research These different ideas framed the research Objective: to help people understand Aboriginal enterprise in remote and regional areas by: Aim: identifying the forms of Aboriginal enterprise

However, the problem remains that: Small businesses are difficult to define, whether Aboriginal or mainstream Within academic literature, a definition is unresolved, worldwide Strzelecki Track, northern SA (photo removed)

Research design over 3 parts A. Identify forms B. Relate to international small business literature C. Develop theory

Research design (continued) 47 interviews: Aboriginal enterprise owners and/or managers 40 interviews: government, industry and small business people Qualitative research: Led by grounded theory

What I address here Implications of results –Forms of Aboriginal enterprise –Underlying characteristics Theoretical work discussed elsewhere Store on the AP Lands, SA (photo removed)

Overview of major results big picture 1.Similarities across small business 2.Vast differences to large business 3.Redefine small business Five major results follow

Overview of results Individually unique, but can be categorised Subsidised operating funds –Social and commercial forms Other forms exist –E.G. subsidised operating funds, size, location, cultural identity, commercial values or sales per year (1) Unique identities Graph showing 47 unique enterprises

What does this mean? Case-by-case basis Enterprise forms can change depending on time, location, focus of people, funds etc (1) Unique identities Forms are different for different people at different times Means: variability is normal

Overview of results Five major building blocks Highly interdependent Shared and separate qualities Building blocks central (2) Building blocks Five building blocks operated together

What does this mean? More than commercial Commercial are one of five important building blocks Interdependency comes with good and bad influences (2) Building blocks Design solutions across all building blocks, by themes: –Core –Expressive –Resultant

Overview of results External influences not separate Deeply impact in unique ways (3) External influences External influences surrounded each enterprise

What does this mean? Recognise our impact Influence is greater in remote and regional areas Small business is a microcosm (3) External influences Small changes –Acutely impacts individuals, families and communities –Impacts Aboriginal enterprise and small business

Overview of results Fit holistically together as a system Called ‘whole process’ of Aboriginal enterprise (4) Whole process of enterprise Building blocks and external influences fitted together

What does this mean? (4) Whole process of enterprise See the Aboriginal enterprise in small ways that link to external influences through the building blocks Keep all parts together and inter-related, avoid separation

Overview of results External influences and building blocks drawn inwards to frame identity Called ‘unique accretion’ Multiple differences exist (5) Unique accretion Whole process was unique for each enterprise

What does this mean? ‘Drawing in’ or ‘unique accretion’ is fundamental This links parts together, so: –work across departments, organisations, companies, policies and programmes (5) Unique accretion Obtain a ‘social picture’ From the ‘grass roots’ up Meet family needs first Case-by-case basis through culture and across support services

Across the 5 results, it means this: Support differences Accept variability Recognise we cannot impose enterprise form This strengthens culture and families: the basis of communities and bedrock of small business Mound spring, NE SA (photo removed)

Implications for government and industry: Tailor help locally Unique accretion is a personal small business activity, that is crucial View small business as a whole process These are mis-understood by government Tourism enterprise, northern SA (photo removed)

Implications for government and industry: Not about government procedures Not small ‘big businesses’ Widen the perspective of mainstream small business Reconsider current small business structures Dog fence, Lake Frome, SA (continued) (photo removed)

Implications for government and industry: Small business support can operate side-by-side Universal and blanket polices are poor options City solutions in remote and regional areas are poor options too Rely on local solutions – start with culture and family Aboriginal enterprise owner, northern SA (continued) (photo removed)

Conclusions Social enterprises are not commercially viable, whilst commercial enterprises mostly are, –Both are highly culturally viable and offer immeasurable benefits –Current enterprise structures do not support this Aboriginal enterprise and small business is diverse, personal and connected to everything else –Current small business policies do not support this

Conclusions (continued) Similarities across all small businesses –Build on these –Link together across cultures, industries, departments and community groups –Current support measures rarely do this Culture, family and community are the small business linkage points –Use these as the basis to support small businesses –Current support mostly focus on commercial and marginalise the rest

Aboriginal enterprise: implications for government and industry Local people want local solutions to bring their community and small businesses together

Aboriginal enterprise: implications for government and industry Thank you